I Want To Just POST Information Directly To Your API Platform

03 Mar 2017

I was dreaming of a more modular, event-driven approach to API monetization the other day, and I found myself thinking more about the motivations behind each API call made, from the perspective of both the consumer and the provider. With this story I am just thinking about just the POST, or how we usually add something to a system via API--this is not always the case, but it is the common usage of the verb.

I don't have any numbers to support this, but the majority of APIs I encounter are GET only. The more mature API platforms have diverse stacks, using their verbs, but when companies are just getting going with their API operations, they rarely use POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE. When it comes to having APIs, and incentivizing developers to generate some value using APIs, it seems like a company wants to encourage the creation of valuable data and content.

I was talking with Lufthansa Airlines the other day, and one of the things that they said to me that stood out when we were talking about the different APIs available, was that none of them matter if someone doesn't buy (POST) a ticket. Today, while on the phone with one of my partners, they asked if they could put my industry guides behind a lead generation form--something I allow my partners do. However, I wish more of them had a POST path for me to submit new leads, share stories, topics, and other times, for a variety of reasons--I promise would help generate value with each API call.

With this work I am ramping up for my API monetization and API plan research, thinking about the bigger picture of how we generate value, as well as make money doing all of this. I guess that I am just lamenting the stagnation of how APIs are being designed, and deployed, with any sensible or even creative monetization strategies. To help me get through this I am going to think about what is important in my world operating API Evangelist. How I can create API endpoints for directly generating value in these areas. Things like adding a news article, sharing a story, asking questions, and other seeds of value in my world--then maybe I can provide some examples to help clarify what I'm talking about.